All Hail Our Feline Overlords: Cat-centric Fiction

It’s paws-itively purr-fect. (DON’T YOU GROAN — that pun is the cat’s meow).

Ahem, anyway.

While there are plenty of well-known dog stories, perhaps (heh purr-haps?) it’s time to talk about how it’s cats who really rule fiction. Our fine feline companions take center stage not only as major players in these books, but in many of them, they’re the narrators, telling stories about their lives as cats or the lives of humans through their points of view.

In honor of our feline overloads, here’s a round-up of cat-centric fiction not aimed at young readers (not that those are bad or not worth checking out, but it’s a whole different….animal). Interesting to note how many of these books are also titles in translation.

If you have ever lived with cats you know how cunning, tender, ferocious, underhanded, ingenious, foolish, and completely adorable they can be. The same words can be used to describe the hero of this novel, Sugar. This is the story—a love story of epic dimensions—of Sugar, a cat with a keen wit and a reflective nature, and his human, Madamigella, a writer with a frenetic and impossibly dispersive life.

In this his seventh life, Sugar has countless stories to tell and a remarkable talent for telling them. But his real area of expertise lies in his preternatural ability to domesticate his humans—whatever you do, don’t even suggest that we are the ones who domesticate him and his feline relatives!

So begins one of the most original and unforgettable works in Japanese literature.

Richly allegorical and delightfully readable, I Am a Cat is the chronicle of an unloved, unwanted, wandering kitten who spends all his time observing human nature – from the dramas of businessmen and schoolteachers to the foibles of priests and potentates. From this unique perfective, author Sōseki Natsume offers a biting commentary – shaped by his training in Chinese philosophy – on the social upheaval of the Meiji era.

In Paris’s Pere-Lachaise cemetery lie the bones of many renowned departed. It is also home to a large number of stray cats. Now, what if by some strange twist of fate, the souls of the famous were reborn in the cats with their personalities intact? There’s Maria Callas, a wilful and imperious diva, wailing late into the night. Earthy, bawdy chanteuse Edith Piaf is a foul-mouthed washerwoman. Oscar Wilde is hopelessly in love with Jim Morrison who sadly does not return his affections. Frederic Chopin is as melancholic and deeply contemplative as ever, and in honor of the tradition of leaving love letters at his tomb, he is now the cemetery’s postmaster general. Last but not least, Marcel Proust is trying to solve the mystery behind some unusual thefts – someone has stolen Rossini’s glass eye and Sarah Bernhardt’s leg. Told in a series of amusing set pieces and intercepted letters, this is a delicious tale of intrigue, unrequited love, longstanding quarrels, character assassinations, petty spats, and sorcery that builds to a steady climax at the cats’ annual Christmas pageant.

These lovable cat poems were written by T. S. Eliot for his godchildren and friends in the 1930s. They have delighted generations of children since, and inspired Andrew Lloyd Webber’s brilliant musical Cats .

The “war with no name” has begun, with human extinction as its goal. The instigator of this war is the Colony, a race of intelligent ants who, for thousands of years, have been silently building an army that would forever eradicate the destructive, oppressive humans. Under the Colony’s watchful eye, this utopia will be free of the humans’ penchant for violence, exploitation, and religious superstition. The final step in the Colony’s war effort is transforming the surface animals into high-functioning two-legged beings who rise up to kill their masters.

Former housecat turned war hero, Mort(e) is famous for taking on the most dangerous missions and fighting the dreaded human bio-weapon EMSAH. But the true motivation behind his recklessness is his ongoing search for a pre-transformation friend—a dog named Sheba. When he receives a mysterious message from the dwindling human resistance claiming Sheba is alive, he begins a journey that will take him from the remaining human strongholds to the heart of the Colony, where he will discover the source of EMSAH and the ultimate fate of all of earth’s creatures.

Combining two distinct yet interwoven parts—one set in ancient Jerusalem, one in contemporary Moscow—the novel veers from moods of wild theatricality with violent storms, vampire attacks, and a Satanic ball; to such somber scenes as the meeting of Pilate and Yeshua, and the murder of Judas in the moonlit garden of Gethsemane; to the substanceless, circus-like reality of Moscow. Its central characters, Woland (Satan) and his retinue—including the vodka-drinking black cat, Behemoth; the poet, Ivan Homeless; Pontius Pilate; and a writer known only as The Master, and his passionate companion, Margarita—exist in a world that blends fantasy and chilling realism, an artful collage of grotesqueries, dark comedy, and timeless ethical questions.

Kafka on the Shore, a tour de force of metaphysical reality, is powered by two remarkable characters: a teenage boy, Kafka Tamura, who runs away from home either to escape a gruesome oedipal prophecy or to search for his long-missing mother and sister; and an aging simpleton called Nakata, who never recovered from a wartime affliction and now is drawn toward Kafka for reasons that, like the most basic activities of daily life, he cannot fathom. Their odyssey, as mysterious to them as it is to us, is enriched throughout by vivid accomplices and mesmerizing events. Cats and people carry on conversations, a ghostlike pimp employs a Hegel-quoting prostitute, a forest harbors soldiers apparently unaged since World War II, and rainstorms of fish (and worse) fall from the sky. There is a brutal murder, with the identity of both victim and perpetrator a riddle – yet this, along with everything else, is eventually answered, just as the entwined destinies of Kafka and Nakata are gradually revealed, with one escaping his fate entirely and the other given a fresh start on his own.

Originally published as a limited-edition volume, this moving and witty discourse on cats combines deadpan routines and dream passages with a heartwarming account of Burroughs’s unexpected friendships with the many cats he has known. It is also a meditation on the long, mysterious relationship between cats and their human hosts, which Burroughs traces back to the Egyptian cult of the “animal other.”

This enchanting story and classic of cat literature is drawn from the true adventures of Tom Jones, May Sarton’s own cat. Prior to making the author’s acquaintance, he is a fiercely independent, nameless Cat About Town. Growing tired of his vagabond lifestyle, however, he concludes that there might be some appeal in giving up his freedom for a home. Finally, a house materializes that does seem acceptable and so do the voices that inhabit it. It is here that he begins his transformation into a genuine Fur Person. Sarton’s book is one of the most beloved stories ever written about the joys and tribulations inherent in sharing one’s life with a cat.

Secure in a world of privilege and comfort, the kitten Tag is happy as a pampered house pet–until the dreams come. Dreams that pour into his safe, snug world from the wise old cat Majicou: hazy images of travel along the magical highways of the animals, of a mission, and of a terrible responsibility that will fall on young Tag. Armed with the cryptic message that he must bring the King and Queen of cats to Tintagel before the spring equinox, Tag ventures outside.But had ancient Majicou somehow misjudged? Tag barely knows his own backyard and is scarely equipped for a quest out into the wide world! But ready or not, Tag is catapulted into the unknown to face danger and win allies in the wily urban fox Loves a Dustbin, and the far-seeing magpie One for Sorrow. Along the way, others will join their quest: Cy, the strange little tabby; Sealink, the globe-trotting cat with an eye for a handsome tom; and Mousebreath, wise in the ways of the world. Together, this band of frightened yet courageous animals will brave the wild road to seek the King and Queen.But finding the royal pair is only half the challenge, as an evil human known only as the Alchemist doggedly pursues the Queen for hisown ghastly ends. For the Queen, a descendant of the legendary line of Golden Cats, holds the key to an ancient prophecy that foretells enormous power for those who control this rare and extraordinary breed.And if the Alchemist achieves his goal, the world can never be safe again.

Two of the biggest names in the fantasy field have put together a unique collection of fantastical cat tales for friends of furry felines. Cats work a special magic in these stories from the future, from the past, and from dimensions people never dream of.

“One morning, as Gregor Samsa was waking up from anxious dreams, he discovered that he had been changed into an adorable kitten.”

Thus begins The Meowmorphosis—a bold, startling, and fuzzy-wuzzy new edition of Franz Kafka’s classic nightmare tale, from the publishers ofPride and Prejudice and Zombies! Meet Gregor Samsa, a humble young man who works as a fabric salesman to support his parents and sister. His life goes strangely awry when he wakes up late for work and finds that, inexplicably, he is now a man-sized baby kitten. His family freaks out: Yes, their son is OMG so cute, but what good is cute when there are bills piling up? And how can he expect them to serve him meals every day? If Gregor is to survive this bizarre, bewhiskered ordeal, he’ll have to achieve what he never could before—escape from his parents’ house. Complete with haunting illustrations and a provocative biographical exposé of Kafka’s own secret feline life, The Meowmorphosis will take you on a journey deep into the tortured soul of the domestic tabby.

Grace the Cat is not at all like me, as she is forever bent on mischief. But because I am an older and wiser cat, she looks to me for counsel, and so I have allowed Grace to prevail upon me to set down the story of my life as a housecat in the human world. . . .

As the irrepressible Foudini M. Cat regales us with his adventures, an exciting story unfolds. After his valiant but frail mother leaves him in search for food and never returns, the starving kitten is taken, hissing and spitting, to a frightening room with cages and men in white coats. Facing the specter of eternal sleep, the homeless cat is adopted by a woman he later calls “Warm.” (“All cats like to make up strange names for things.”)

From here Foudini enchants us with splendid tales of his unlikely but ultimately poignant friendship with Sam the Dog; their trips between Cold House in the city and Mouse House in the country; his mystical experiences with famous felines of the past; his near-death in a raging river that leads to a profound act of sacrifice; and his introduction to a silly young thing named Grace, which evolves into something completely unexpected.

A couple in their thirties live in a small rented cottage in a quiet part of Tokyo; they work at home, freelance copy-editing; they no longer have very much to say to one another. But one day a cat invites itself into their small kitchen. It leaves, but the next day comes again, and then again and again. Soon they are buying treats for the cat and enjoying talks about the animal and all its little ways. Life suddenly seems to have more promise for the husband and wife — the days have more light and color.

Jim Qwilleran is a prizewinning reporter who’s been on the skids but is now coming back with a job as feature writer (mostly on the art scene) for the Daily Fluxion. George Bonifield Mountclemens, the paper’s credentialed art critic, writes almost invariably scathing, hurtful reviews of local shows; delivers his pieces by messenger; lives with his all-knowing cat Koko in a lushly furnished house in a moldering neighborhood, and has a raft of enemies all over town.

He offers the newcomer a tiny apartment in his building at a nominal rent, and Qwilleran grabs it, surmising the deal will involve lots of cat-sitting. Meanwhile, a gallery whose artists get happier treatment from Mountclemens is owned by Earl Lambreth. The acerbic critic has praised paintings there by a reclusive Italian named Scrano; the junk assemblages of Nino, who calls himself a “Thingist,” as well as works by Lambreth’s attractive wife Zoe.

It’s Zoe who, one night past closing, finds her husband stabbed to death in the vandalized gallery. Days later, Qwilleran, guided by an insistent Koko, finds Mountclemens’s knifed corpse on the patio behind his house.

I started my website, ThePreventiveVet.com, because there are still too many pet illnesses, toxins, and other common pet conditions that not enough people are aware of. And my experience in both the emergency room and general practice has clearly shown that prior awareness is crucial to helping pet owners to be prepared and preventive so that they can best protect the cats and dogs they love.

Well, when it comes to our cats, few emergencies are more serious, and few are less well-known amongst cat people than the dreaded urethral obstruction (UO). Also known as “urinary obstruction”, cases of UO are extremely distressing and painful for the affected cat (not to mention the distress, heartbreak, and financial strain it takes on the people, too).

What’s most frightening though is that a case of UO will quickly progress to death without prompt and appropriate treatment. So please, whatever you do today, be sure to read and share this post, regardless of whether or not you have a cat, but especially if you have a male cat!

Overview of feline urethral obstruction:Cat kidneys make urine in an effort to, amongst other things, regulate the levels of certain compounds and substances within the body. These compounds and substances include water, electrolytes, minerals, and a host of other things. The ability of the cat’s body to then move that urine from their bladder to their litter box is vital to their survival. The urethra is the thin muscular tube that is responsible for carrying urine from the bladder to the “outside world”. Sadly, and with quite disastrous consequences, the urethra can become blocked, preventing a cat from excreting their urine. This is urethral obstruction and it’s definitely a condition you should be familiar with, and one that you can easily take steps to prevent.

How do you know if your cat is “blocked”:Cats with a case of UO will typically exhibit a variety of outward signs, the degree and number of which will depend on how long they’ve been blocked, and whether it is a complete blockage or a partial one. I’ll list several of the possible signs below, highlighting some of the more concerning and/or obvious ones. But please note that the list below is not exhaustive. If you are seeing any of these signs, get your cat immediately to the vet. Do not wait “until morning” or “after work” to do so, if your cat has a UO, time is truly of the essence and there’s nothing you can do at home to help them.

• Multiple and frequent trips to the litter box that result in little or no urine• Howling, crying, or otherwise vocalizing when attempting to urinate• Excessive licking of their back end• Hiding in the closet, under the bed, or elsewhere• Loss of appetite• Vomiting• Ataxia (walking like they’re drunk)• Collapse

Now you know what urethral obstruction is and how to recognize it, but this blog post is just a brief overview of this horrible condition. Please don’t stop learning here. There’s a lot more information, including the vitally important and simple steps you can take to help prevent your cat from getting a UO, on my blog here… Feline Urethral Obstruction: Part 3 – Be Preventive. I hope you’ve learned lots, please be sure to share these posts and what you’re learning with all the cat lovers in your life… you just may help them save their cat’s life by doing so.

Have a wonderful day! And please, for your pet’s sake (and yours)… Be Aware. Be Prepared. Be Preventive!

Veterinarian and pet safety expert, Dr. Jason Nicholas (“The Preventive Vet”) is the author of the must-have book, 101 Essential Tips You Need to Raise a Happy, Healthy, Safe Dog, and the creator of the popular website ThePreventiveVet.com. Both are indispensable resources that will help you protect your pets and empower you to be the best pet parent you can be. We’re excited to have him share some of his insights with you here. Dr. Nicholas believes, as we do, that an outstanding, high-quality diet is an integral part of your pet’s overall health and well-being, he proudly recommends Halo Spot’s Stew.

3 Easy DIY Cat Treat Recipes

Picking out the perfect cat treat from your local pet store can be overwhelming for cat parents - especially if your cat has a dietary restriction, or if you've ever flipped the treat package over and tried reading the long list of ingredients you can't pronounce! Who wants to feed their cat all those chemicals anyway? If you're concerned about where your cat's food and treats are made, it becomes even more challenging.

Instead, why not try out these simple cat treats you can make at home! Of course, you can tweak the ingredients to fit your furry friend's unique taste and dietary needs.

You'll feel comfortable knowing where each and every ingredient came from, and of course they'll all be stuffed full of the one ingredient only you can provide…love!

Spinach & Chicken Purrk Me Ups

Shopping List:

1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 cup fresh spinach

1 cup quick cooking oats

1 egg

1 Tbsp dried catnip

1/4 cup flour

Directions:Preheat oven to 350º. Steam the chicken thighs until thoroughly cooked, then cool for 20 minutes. Blend chicken, oats, spinach, and catnip in a food processoruntil it's chunky but smooth. In a bowl, add your chicken mixture and flour and knead them together until no longer sticky. Then place your dough on a flour-dusted surface. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough until it's about 1/2 inch thick. Then, cut it into shapes with a tiny cookie cutter or pizza cutter. Use a non-stick cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

Cheesy Meowthfulls

Shopping List:

3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup plain yogurt

3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup water

Directions:Preheat oven to 350º. Combine Cheddar, Parmesan, yogurt, flour and cornmeal. Then, mix in enough water to create a dough. Form your dough into a ball and roll it out on a flour-dusted surface with a rolling pin until it's about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into bite-sized pieces and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 25 minutes.

Goats Milk Catsicles

Directions:Fill each compartment of the ice cube tray about halfway full with raw goat's milk (If you're using Instant Goat's Milk, prepare it according to the directions first.) Then, toss a couple pieces of tuna, cooked diced chicken, baby shrimp, or your cat's favorite treats in with the goat's milk. Put the ice cube tray in the freezer until your "catsicles" are frozen. On a hot day, pop one out and serve it to your kitty for a tasty, refreshing treat!

Remember, these are all treats - meant to be fed in moderation, not to replace your cat's regular, species appropriate high-quality diet. If you enjoy making your own treats at home, pick up a Cat Treat Recipe book for even more ideas.

Or, get yourself a food dehydrator and make all kinds of jerky treats, like beef, chicken, shrimp or liver. While you're spending all that time baking for your kitty, check out our collection of cat-themed kitchen accessories!

Did you like this guide? Give us a vote up above to keep them coming! And then see these other guides by The Catington Post:

Many cats are picky eaters, so they’re less likely than dogs to be attracted to certain human foods. Nevertheless, it’s important to be aware that some foods can be dangerous to cats.

Bread Dough

Raw bread dough made with live yeast can be hazardous to cats. When a cat swallows raw dough, the warm, moist environment of the stomach provides an ideal environment for the yeast to multiply, resulting in an expanding mass of dough in the stomach. Expansion of the stomach can be severe enough to decrease blood flow to the stomach wall and affect breathing. Also, as the yeast metabolizes the sugar in the dough, alcohol is produced. The alcohol can be absorbed, resulting in alcohol intoxication. Affected cats can have distended abdomens and show signs such as drunkenness, disorientation and vomiting (or attempts to vomit). In extreme cases, coma, seizures or even death from alcohol intoxication might occur. Cats who have abdominal distention or seem drunk should be monitored by a veterinarian until they recover. All rising yeast dough should be kept out of reach of cats.

Chocolate

Most cats don’t have a sweet tooth. However, some will eat foods containing chocolate, such as chocolate candy, cookies, brownies and chocolate baked goods. These and other chocolate-flavored treats can cause chocolate intoxication in cats. The compounds in chocolate that are toxic are caffeine and theobromine, which belong to a group of chemicals called methylxanthines. These compounds cause stimulation of the heart and nervous system. The rule of thumb with chocolate is “the darker it is, the more dangerous it is.” White chocolate has very few methylxanthines and is of low toxicity. Dark baker’s chocolate, on the other hand, has high levels of methylxanthines. Plain, dry unsweetened cocoa powder contains the most concentrated levels of methylxanthines. Depending on the type and amount of chocolate a cat eats, the signs can range from vomiting, increased thirst, abdominal discomfort and restlessness to severe agitation, muscle tremors, irregular heart rhythm, high body temperature, seizures and even death. Cats showing more than mild restlessness should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.

Ethanol

Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol and drinking alcohol, can be very dangerous for cats. Due to their small size, cats are far more sensitive to ethanol than humans are. Even drinking a small amount of a product containing alcohol can cause significant intoxication. Cats are often attracted to mixed drinks that contain milk, cream or ice cream (e.g., White Russians, alcoholic egg nog and Brandy Alexanders). Alcohol intoxication commonly causes vomiting, loss of coordination, disorientation and stupor. In severe cases, coma, seizures and death can occur. Cats who are intoxicated should be monitored by a veterinarian until they recover.

Moldy Foods

A wide variety of molds grow on food. Some molds produce toxins called tremorgenic mycotoxins, which can cause serious or even life-threatening problems if eaten. Cats tend to be finicky, but they can eat molds that grow on dairy products, like cheese and cream cheese. The signs of tremorgenic mycotoxin poisoning generally begin as fine muscle tremors that progress to whole-body tremors and, finally, convulsions that can lead to death in severe cases. Left untreated, these tremors can last for several weeks. Fortunately, they usually respond well to appropriate veterinary treatment.

Onions and Garlic

All members of the onion family (shallots, onions, garlic, scallions, etc.) contain compounds that can damage cats’ red blood cells if eaten in sufficient quantities. Garlic tends to be more toxic than onions on an ounce-for-ounce basis, and cooking does not destroy the toxin. While it’s uncommon for cats to eat enough raw onions and garlic to cause serious problems, exposure to concentrated forms of onion or garlic, such as dehydrated onions, onion soup mix or garlic powder, can put cats at risk of toxicosis (poisoning). For example, some sick cats who are fed baby food containing onion powder develop anemia. The damage to red blood cells caused by onions and garlic generally doesn’t become apparent until three to five days after ingestion. Affected cats might seem weak or reluctant to move, or they might have pale gums. Their urine can be orange-tinged to dark red. Cats with any of these symptoms should be examined by a veterinarian immediately. In severe cases, blood transfusions may be necessary.